• Research dataclose
• Research softwareclose
• Other research productsclose
• 2017-2021close
• Open Access close
• Annotation close
• COVID-19 close

[Abstract] It is widely accepted that language changes; this change goes simultaneously with the evolution of the world. Phonetics, morphology, syntax, semantics or pragmatics have evolved and then been examined by linguistics. Word-formation processes have been a widely studied issue because of its complexity and interest; recently, the new tendencies in word-formation patterns have been a recurrent subject of study but have not been explored in great depth. This paper aims to analyse the 712 words included in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) during 2020 in order to obtain a pattern of the most dominant processes of formation of new words and the essential semantic fields. To this end, some previous knowledge of word-formation was essential, in addition to the need to refer to those few studies on the latest trends. Access to the OED was then required, and, by using the list with the words provided by the OED, an analysis of word-formation processes and semantic fields was carried out. But first, a selection of different sources was needed for the overview of the diverse word-formation processes. My findings show that word formation processes have changed but perhaps not as much as expected: traditionally, compounding and affixation were the most important processes, and this continues to be this way. Nevertheless, new processes are becoming more important –clipping, blending or conversion–; at the same time, some others appear to be quite unproductive –initialisms, acronyms, reduplication or back-formation–. Besides, borrowing has been fundamental in the production of new words and its importance will be mentioned in this study, although it is not really a word-formation process. As a result, language changes but very slowly, and the so-called minor word-formation processes are these days more important than, for instance, during the Old English period. Apparently, both word-formation processes and semantic fields continue to be quite traditional and not much modification has taken place. Ease is going to influence the selection of the processes of formation of new words; for instance, compounding is much easier and then more productive than blending. Moreover, many words come from specialized fields –linguistics, gastronomy, fashion, health–, whereas semantic fields –such as Internet and technologies–, which were expected to be more dominant, are not so essential. Further research could be carried out with the focus on words related to a particular semantic field, for instance, health. Studying words specifically related to the pandemic would also be valuable since Covid-19 has not finished yet. Other lines of study could also possibly delve into the patterns of formation of clippings or blendings or into the analysis of the many borrowings that were included during the referred year. Traballo fin de grao (UDC.FIL). Inglés: estudios lingüísticos y literarios. Curso 2020/2021

This essay examines the potential impact of Covid-19 on maternal and child health, the elderly, and the “sandwich generation” of young adults. Landis MacKellar and Rachel Friedman (ed.). Peer reviewed

COVID-19 pandemic is affecting negatively the tourism and hospitality industry. As people must avoid physical interaction, service robots can be a useful tool to ensure a high level of physical social distance during the epidemic. This paper discusses whether the application of service robots to provide physical distance in the tourism and hospitality context is going to be beneficial or there will be side effects as well. The paper posits that service robots create a technological shield between tourists and employees that increases the physical and emotional distance between them.

Annotatie bij het hoger beroep van de Centrale Studentenraad van de UvA met betrekking tot het gebruik van online proctoring tijdens de covid-19 crisis.

Mit der Covid19-Pandemie haben bei Wahlen digitale Beteiligungsinstrumente und insbesondere Onlinewahlhilfen (Voting Advice Application, VAA) einen besonderen Stellenwert erlangt (Kersting 2021). Mit dem Polit-Kompass wurde ein Tool entwickelt, das bei der politischen Orientierung unterstützen soll und gleichzeitig eng an die politikwissenschaftliche Forschung angebunden ist. Dabei umfasst er neben einer allgemeinen Links-Rechts-Dimension auch eine Populismus-Dimension, die in den letzten Jahren stark an Bedeutung gewonnen hat. Der Polit-Kompass soll dabei allgemeine politische Konflikte abdecken, die zu Wahlkampfzeiten besondere Brisanz erfahren, aber eben auch außerhalb von Wahlen für Diskussionen sorgen.

The unprecedented changes in routine activities brought about by COVID-19 and the associated lockdown measures contributed to a reduction in opportunities for predatory crimes in outdoor physical spaces, while people spent more time connected to the internet, and opportunities for cybercrime and fraud increased. This article applies time-series analysis to historical data on cybercrime and fraud reported to Action Fraud in the United Kingdom to examine whether any potential increases are beyond normal crime variability. Furthermore, the discrepancies between fraud types and individual and organizational victims are also analyzed. The results show that while both total cybercrime and total fraud increased beyond predicted levels, the changes in victimization were not homogeneous across fraud types and victims. The implications of these findings on how changes in routine activities during COVID-19 have influenced cybercrime and fraud opportunities are discussed in relation to policy, practice, and academic debate